Door switch or the like



July 25, 1933. H DOUGLAS 1,919,210

DOOR SWITCH OR THE LIKE Filed Aug. 29, 1932 f 710677.147?" D0 c yZagPatented July 25, 1933 PATENT OFFICE HARRY A. DOUGLAS, OF BRONSON,MICHIGAN DOOR SWITCH OR THE LIKE Application. filed August 29, 1932.Serial No. 630,883,,

This invention relates to door switches or the like in which a circuitis discontinued When the door is closed and is automatically continuedwhen the door is opened.

The invention aims to provide an improved switch which is simple inconstruction and in which the moving parts are so guided that positiveoperation is secured.

The invention will be more fully explained by reference to theembodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is anaxial section taken on the line 1 -1 of Figure 3, the attaching platebeing broken away;

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevation taken on the line 33 of Figure 1; and aFigure 1 is an assembled view showing diagrammatically an illustrativecircuit,

Referring to the figures of the drawing, the illustrative switchincludes a metallic casing 1, which is preferably cylindrical and has adouble flange as at 2 at one end by which the casing issecured to asuitable attaching plate 3, the double flange being crimped about acentral aperture in the plate.

One end of the casing 1 is closed by an insulating mounting 4, which issecured in place as by having fingers 5 integral with the casing bentover the periphery of the mounting.

The insulating mounting 4 carries two current conducting terminals 6which are rigidly secured to the mounting 4 as being passed throughsuitable apertures 4a in the mounting and having the margins of theseapertures clamped between the spaced apart shoulders 7 8 formed on theterminals 6. The terminals 6 thus extend in parallel direction upon theexterior of the casing 1.

Rigidly secured to each of the terminals 6 is a metallic contact member9 which in this instance is cylindrical and is formed inare passedslidably through circular holes 11 in an insulating disc 12 which isthus movable axially of the casing 1 guided by the contact members 9.

The free ends 10 of the contact members 9 are enlarged transversely, ashere shown by having the annular flanges 13 formed thereon. To provide acurrent conducting bridge between the contact members 9, the face of thedisc 12 carries centrally thereof a metallic bridge member 14 whichdesirably has cut out portions through which the contact members pass,the arcuate margins 15 of the cut out portions of the member 14margining the margins of the holes 11 and, in one position of the disc12, engaging the flanges 13 of the members 9, as shown in Figure 1. Themember 14 may be fixedly secured to the disc 12 as by having ears 16formed integrally with the member let and i passed through the slots 17in the face of the disc to be bent upon the other side thereof.

To urge the disc 12 to the position shown in Figure 1 in which theswitch is closed and a circuit continued therethrough, I desirablyprovide a compression coil spring 18 surrounding each of the members 9between the disc 12 and the insulating mounting a into engagement withthe flanges 13 of both the members 9. Thus the springs 18 func tionindependently but with substantially equal pressure pressing the disc 12substantially equally in the vicinity of the members 9.

To retract the disc 12 against the force of the springs 18, I provide anactuator in the form of a cup 19 slidably carried by the end of thecasing opposite the insulating mounting 4t and having an elongatedcylindrical skirt portion 20 which snugly telescopes within the casingto be guided by the inner surface thereof. The skirt portion 20 of theactuator receives therein the disc 12 and the free ends 10 of themembers 9. To cause movement axially of the actuator to effect movementof the disc 12 on the mem her 9 I provide an abutment such as theinternal annular head 21 in the skirt portion and thus pressing thebridging member 1i 20 which axially abuts the periphery of the disc 12.Movement of the actuator 19 inwardly of the casing 1 thus causes thebridge member 14 to be disengaged from the flange 13 and discontinuesthe circuit through the members 9. To facilitate retraction of theactuator 19 I may form it with an integral reduced button portion 22which projects through the end of the casing. A shoulder 23 between theportion 22 and portion 20 of the actuator limits movement thereof out-Wardly of the casing.

When used as a door switch, the attaching plate 3 may be convenientlymounted substantially flush with the surface of a door jamb 2 1 by meansof the attaching screws 25, the casing 1 being disposed in a cut-out 26in the jamb and the button 22 being disposed so as to be abutted of theedge of the door 27, thus placing the switch. in off position. N hen thedoor is opened the springs 18 cause the switch to move to on position asdescribed and a circuit is continued, for example, through the groundedbattery 28, conductor 29, terminals 6, corn ductor 30 and groundedfilament 31 of a lam 32.

T e conductors 29 and 30 are here shown. as Wires which may be eachconnected to one of the terminals (3 as by being provided with a plugtermination 33 which is received in the socket 3d of the terminal (5 andyieldingly retained therein by friction with the detent 85 pressedthereagainst by the spring 36 carried in the spring barrel 37 formedintegrally with the terminal 6.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. As an article of. manufacture, a door switch or the like, comprisingin combinat-ion, a metallic easing; an insulating mounting forming aclosure for one end of the easing; two current conducting terminalscarried by the mounting and extending in parallel relationship upon theexterior of the casing; a contact member attached to each of theterminals and extending in parallel relationship rigidly within theinterior of the casing; an insulating disc in the casing, said contactmembers having their free ends passing slidably through the insulatingdisc; a transverse enlargement at the termination of each of the freeends of the contact members; a metallic bridging member carried by theface of said disc and engageable with the transverse enlargements of thecontact members to provide a current conducting bridge therebetween acoil spring surrounding each of the contact members between the disc andthe insulating mounting and pressing the bridging member against thetrans verse enlargements; and a cup-like actuator slidably carried bythe end of the casing opposite the insulating mounting and having askirt portion telescoped within the casing, said skirt portion receivingtherein the disc and the free ends of the contact members and. having aninternal abutment engaging the disc axially of the casing, said cup-likeactuator having a button portion projecting through an aperture in theend of the casing opposite the insulating mounting.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the contact members are cylimlrical.and pass snugly through circular apertures in the insulating disc whichis guided thereby, and wherein the bridging member is cut out arcuatelyto receive the contact members therethrough and to margin the holes inthe disc.

HARRY DOUGLAS.

